Apple galette

Ingredients

• 155 g (1¼ cups)plain flour
• 12 g (1 tablespoon)sugar
• 1.25 g (¼ teaspoon)salt
• 113 g (8 tablespoons; 1 stick)cold vegan or regular butter, cubed (for the flakiest pastry)
• 90–100 g (6–7 tablespoons)solid cold coconut oil, cubed
• 80 ml (⅓ cup; 5–6 tablespoons)olive oil (for a more tender pastry that is quicker to make)
• 60–75 ml (4–5 tablespoons)ice-cold water
• 2 largeapples, sliced as thinly as possible
• 12 g (1 tablespoon), plus a little for the edgesugar
• 2 g (1 teaspoon)ground cinnamon
• 0.5 g (¼ teaspoon)ground cloves
• As neededplant milk, for brushing

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the water

   Fill a glass with water and plenty of ice so the water is very cold.

2. 2

   Heat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).

3. 3

   Mix dry ingredients

   In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and the salt.

4. 4

   Cut in the fat

   For butter or solid coconut oil, add the cold cubes and work them in by hand or with a food processor until pea-sized pieces remain. Do not blend them completely smooth; the pieces help make flaky layers.

5. 5

   Add olive oil

   If using olive oil, stir it into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles damp sand.

6. 6

   Bring dough together

   Add the ice-cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing only until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork it.

7. 7

   Chill the dough

   Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it and refrigerate. Chill butter or coconut-oil dough for at least 30 minutes, or olive-oil dough for 10–15 minutes.

8. 8

   Slice the apples

   Slice the apples as thinly as possible using a knife, mandoline or food processor.

9. 9

   Roll the pastry

   On baking paper, roll the dough to about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick.

10. 10

    Assemble the galette

    Scatter the cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of sugar and ground cloves over the pastry. Arrange the apple slices in rows or a spiral, leaving a 4–5 cm border. Fold the border towards the centre to make pleats.

11. 11

    Brush and bake

    Brush the pastry with plant milk and scatter a little more sugar over it. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp and the apples are soft.

12. 12

    Cool and serve

    Let the galette cool briefly. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

What is an apple galette?

A galette is a French-style free-form tart, made without a tin and finished with pastry folded over the filling. Its uneven edge is part of the look, and it makes a fruit tart practical to bake at home.

Here, thin apple slices are paired with cinnamon and clove. The open centre lets the fruit soften while the folded pastry turns crisp and golden.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 218 calories, 3g protein, 31g carbs, 10g fat.

The apples and flour contribute most of the carbohydrates, while the butter, coconut oil or olive oil provide most of the fat. The pastry fat also contributes some energy, while the flour and apples provide a little protein; serve a slice with a source of protein, such as unsweetened yoghurt, to round out the plate.

Choosing the pastry fat

Butter or coconut oil: Use either one cold and cubed, then leave visible pea-sized pieces in the flour mixture. Those small pieces help create flaky layers as the pastry bakes.

Olive oil: This option is mixed in until the flour looks like damp sand. The resulting dough is described as more tender and needs a shorter rest.

Keep the dough cool

Cold water helps bring the dough together without warming the fat. Add it gradually and stop as soon as the dough holds together, since extra mixing can make the pastry less tender.

Butter- or coconut-oil dough rests for at least 30 minutes; olive-oil dough rests for 10–15 minutes. Follow the rest for the fat you chose before rolling.

Slice and arrange the apples

Thin slices cook through more readily and are easier to arrange in a neat spiral or rows. A knife, mandoline or food processor can do the job.

Leave a 4–5 cm border clear of apples so you can fold the pastry over the filling. The pleats do not need to be perfectly even.

Look for golden, crisp pastry

Bake at 190°C for 30–35 minutes, checking for golden pastry and softened apples. The pastry should look crisp at the edges rather than pale and doughy.

If the edges brown before the apples soften, keep an eye on the galette as it finishes baking. Let it cool briefly before serving so the pastry can settle.

Serving ideas

Serve a slice warm, at room temperature or cold. Vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream makes a cool, creamy contrast to the spiced fruit.

The galette is also good on its own, particularly when you want the crisp pastry and apple filling to stay in focus.

Recipe notes & tips

• Measure the cold water gradually, as the dough may need less than the full amount.
• Keep pea-sized pieces of butter or coconut oil visible rather than blending them away.
• Use baking paper to make it easier to roll and transfer the free-form pastry.
• Arrange the apple slices in an even layer so they soften at a similar rate.
• Brush the pastry and add the extra sugar just before baking.
• Let the galette cool briefly before slicing to help the pastry hold its shape.

Variations

• Add pears: Replace some of the apples with thinly sliced pears.
• Use extra cinnamon: Increase the cinnamon slightly for a warmer spice flavour.
• Try a different apple: Use a firm apple that holds its shape as it bakes.
• Finish with citrus: Add a little finely grated lemon zest to the apple layer.
• Serve with coconut cream: Add coconut whipped cream for a dairy-free topping.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Warm fat: Keep the butter or coconut oil cold so small pieces remain in the dough.
• Overworking the dough: Mix only until it comes together to avoid a tough pastry.
• Adding all the water at once: Add it tablespoon by tablespoon and stop when the dough is soft.
• Thick apple slices: Slice them thinly so they soften within the baking time.
• Filling to the edge: Leave a 4–5 cm border clear so the pastry can fold over the fruit.
• Cutting it straight from the oven: Cool it briefly first so the pastry is easier to slice.

How to store

Once cool, cover and refrigerate the galette for up to 3 days. Reheat slices in the oven until warmed through to bring back some crispness, or serve them cold.

Frequently asked questions